PCR Lids: The Next Evolution of Calyx Drams + Concentrate Containers

We’re stepping up for Mother Nature. We’re so excited to announce Calyx Container’s new PCR lid offering. Now, you can take strides toward a more circular economy and reduce the overall carbon footprint of your packaging while still ensuring that your consumers will enjoy the freshest possible cannabis products in child-resistant yet senior-friendly packaging.

What is PCR + Why Does it Matter?

Post-consumer recycled (PCR) refers to plastics—typically PET, polypropylene (PP), and HDPE—that are collected for recycling after the consumer has used them to then be reprocessed into a recycled resin to be used in manufacturing again. So rather than using fossil fuels to generate more virgin plastic, PCR products leverage materials already “in the supply chain,” thus reducing the generation of new plastics and keeping old plastics out of landfills.  

More than just keeping plastic away from the dump, recycled plastic is an effective way to reduce emissions while we hunt for greener alternatives. The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) released a report examining the impact of making products from post-consumer resins versus virgin material. It was found that, on average, recycled PP plastic reduced total energy consumption by 88% and that recycled PP resin cut emissions over virgin material by an average of 71%.

PCR polypropylene plastic is an incredible solution to the growing plastic problem because it’s still fully recyclable, helps to cut plastic-based emissions, and is a critical path to achieve a circular economy.

PCR vs. Compostable, Hemp, or Ocean Plastic

Living during this incredible time of innovation means there are other sustainable plastic types on the market. Compostable plastics are either home compostable or industrial compostable, meaning they can be composted in your backyard compost bin or must be sent to an industrial composting facility. Unfortunately, most consumers cannot dispose of compostable plastics properly and they end up in the landfill. Even worse, if a user doesn’t know how to ensure the plastics get to the right facility, they may end up recycling it, contaminating other good recyclable material.  

Hemp plastic is exciting because of all the possibilities it opens for using plant fiber as a plastic alternative. However, most hemp plastics are biocomposites and the fibers can be mixed with compostable plastic like PLA or with fossil-fuel plastic like HDPE. When mixed with HDPE or other recyclable plastics, the fibers lower the quality of the recyclable material and disrupt the recycling stream. Ocean plastic is plastic that is sourced from areas near our oceans or shores or directly from the water. Due to the location of where most ocean plastics end up, the resin is usually not found domestically The biggest challenge with ocean plastics is finding good quality and  it’s food-safe resin. 

While all of these are great options for other applications and industries, the cannabis industry has extremely high packaging standards and requirements, making PCR the current best solution for what’s needed. PCR polypropylene resin is available in the U.S., is high-quality and food-grade, and is compatible and recyclable with our gasketwhich is why Calyx Containers is moving to produce all of our iconic lids with 100% PCR polypropylene. However, as this exciting new world of sustainable plastics continues to develop we always have an ear to the ground to find even better alternatives.

Why PCR Lids?

We decided to make our lids from 100% PCR plastic because our lids are universal! They work on our Drams and concentrate containers, so regardless of the product you’re packaging, it’ll have recycled content. Recycled plastics tend to have different mechanical properties than virgin plastic, and during testing, we found that we could achieve 100% recycled resin  within our lids while still getting the high-quality packaging Calyx is known for.

Compliance + Regulations with PCR

On top of everything already mentioned, our new lids are still compliant and will be compliant with upcoming regulations. The performance of the lid isn’t impacted, meaning it’s still senior-friendly and child-resistant. And you still get that tight seal Calyx is known for thanks to our rigorous testing. 

In New York, there is a regulation stating, “cannabis product packaging cannot be made of any plastic, unless that plastic contains a minimum 25% post-consumer recycled content.” We wanted to meet this standard and not leave our NY customers in the lurch. With the PCR lid, our containers surpass this benchmark, hitting up to 37% recycled content. Plus, this composition meets both the U.S. Plastics Pact and Canada Plastics Pact 2025 roadmap targets.

Join the PCR Movement

Put a lid on waste with our new 100% PCR lids. We use a zero-waste manufacturing process coupled with 100% recycled polypropylene to close the loop on packaging waste. Level up your Dram or concentrate containers and request a sample kit today!